About
I can help you:
Strengthen fundamentals;
Improve your mental game;
Play from the ground up;
Produce line drives!
I've worked with players of nearly all ages and experience levels, in a team setting as well as one on one. I've had players go on to play pro and college ball, but I also work with rec leaguers looking to fine-tune and rookies just trying out the game.
I'm low-tech, but high-impact. I'm attentive to every aspect of the player--mental, physical, intellectual, and social/emotional--as needed. I focus on mechanics and approach, but I also emphasize injury prevention, repeatability, and understanding more than many other coaches; I think it's easier to repeat a motion, and find your comfort zone mechanically, when you have a truer understanding of what you're doing. Skill and talent are indispensable, but between the ears is where many of the game's successes begin.
Mechanically, I teach a line drive-oriented approach and focus on balance and playing from the ground up. My coaching motto is that line drives win games!
I also believe that enjoying the game, and remembering to have fun and appreciate the game even when you're working hard to improve, are essential. Every day you get to play is a gift.
(Note: lessons.com has changed its new settings for the worse on our end, so to clarify my distance/travel range: I'm open to traveling to pretty much any location in Manhattan and perhaps a mile or two away e.g. nearby parts of BK, Queens, or the Bronx! As for your location, it can be anywhere from which you can comfortably reach the city for a lesson. Thanks!--Coach West)
Highlights
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Athletes position(s)
Years experience
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Skills to improve
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Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I begin with a basic q/a to asses their level of baseball experience, then some basic projectile skills to test their baseline ability. From there, I proceed based on their mechanics and form, along with their conceptual grasp of the rules and other aspects of the game.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
30+ years of baseball and fastpitch, over a decade of coaching players of various levels and backgrounds, and nearly a decade of baseball analysis on various sites and in live media.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My base rate is $60 per 45-minute session, and $80 per hour; this is subject to some flexibility.
How did you get started teaching?
Directing a PAL site in my mid-20s.
What types of students have you worked with?
Primarily middle school, roughly ages 9-15; I've also worked successfully with elementary-aged players, high school/college players, and seniors.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Chaperoning three of my MSBL players to an All-Star game at Macombs Dam, in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. I coached first & third, and mentored my players through their nerves. They had a blast!
Another moment was when last season's winner of our Most Improved Player Award--who didn't even make the active roster the previous year--drove a ball about 250 feet into the gap in front of our home crowd at Crotona Park. It was his first real drive against in-game pitching, and he motored his way to a two-run triple...had he not stutter-stepped around first, he'd have made it all the way around the bases! (2020 postscript: this year, he's a line drive machine and our team captain. I couldn't be more proud of him as a player and human.)
2021 postscript: a player with whom I've worked for about a year, who started literally from scratch as an older adult, has come an incredibly long way in terms of confidence, bat control, and glove skills. He's joining a league this year!
2022 postscript: a player I began working with as a 10yo with no organized baseball experience and weak mechanics...can now self-hit a clean line drive from home plate to mid-outfield and is angling to make his MSBL team.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Listen, but feel free to ask questions. Stay relaxed, and have fun!
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What they most enjoy about the game, what they think is their best baseball/softball skill, and where they'd most like to improve.